Where the Long Tail Ends: Recent Episodes
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This month, Nat, Cody, and Robert journey to a world of the white god in the jungle who’s engaged in cruel experiments that push the conception of humanity with 1996’s THE ISLAND OF DOCTOR MOREAU. We also journey to the edge of sanity that was a doomed voyage for Richard Stanley’s tenure as a director […]
This month, Cody, Robert, and Nat are joined by Kurt Halfyard of ScreenAnarchy to fight a fascist takeover as we discuss the 1980s’ mini-series V and V: The Final Battle. V was an NBC mini-series which first aired on May 1, 1983 and May 2, 1983. It was a success and was followed up by […]
This month, Cody, Robert, and Nat jack into the futuristic world of 2021 and the cyberpunk ideas of William Gibson with 1995’s JOHNNY MNEMONIC. JOHNNY MNEMONIC, directed by Robert Longo and written by William Gibson, seems to have all the elements of a genre defining hit. In this case, the genre would be cyberpunk. In […]
Who owns a song? The song writer, even though what they wrote might not be all that commercial without help? The performer, who shapes the words and expands it musically? The listener, who applies their experiences and feelings to their interpretation of what the song means? That’s the central question of John Carney’s POWER BALLAD, […]
The 2026 Milwaukee Film Festival is moving into its final days, but there were still some traditions that needed to be carried out. One of them was the Super Secret Members Only Screening for Milwaukee Film members. It’s always a mystery movie which the audience doesn’t know until moments before it starts. This year they […]
It’s becoming rarer, but some moments are truly lost to time. Important events too. The 1972 to 1973 production of Godspell in Toronto proved to be a landmark, being both a hit show and introducing people to the likes of Eugene Levy, Gilda Radner, Martin Short, Victor Garber, Andrea Martin, Dave Thomas, and Paul Shaffer. […]
Ghosts are memories. Ghosts are the past intruding on the present. Ghosts are people that haven’t been or refuse to be forgotten. Those are just some of the thoughts that occurred during a late night screening of A USEFUL GHOST during the Milwaukee Film Festival. I was expecting a good time based on a silly […]
Sports documentaries are a tricky beast. They can bring out the best in people, have ready metaphors, and have clearly defined stakes. They can also be somewhat gimmicky and subsume their subject characters in artificial games with no larger relevance and artificial rivalries. That’s the challenge that KINGS OF VENICE faces. KINGS OF VENICE is […]
Last night the 2026 Milwaukee Film Festival staged a world premiere with BRIGHT BEAUTIFUL WORLD: THE INFECTIOUS JOY OF PAT MCCURDY. I don’t think it’s too say that Pat McCurdy is a regional institution. At least if you describe a region as consisting of Chicago, Wisconsin (with a concentration on Milwaukee and Chicago) and Minneapolis. […]
The 2026 Milwaukee Film Festival entered its second weekend with a Spotlight Presentation on a subject that Wisconsinites clearly love, cheese. Or in this case, a movie about competing in the world championship of cheesemongering, THE BIG CHEESE. If it didn’t sellout every seat at the Oriental Theatre, it came awfully close. To ensure that […]
Robert, Nat, and Cody are joined by Paul Hermann of The Comic Binge to explore grief, memory, family, and identity in Kogonada’s AFTER YANG. Before A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY and after COLUMBUS, Kogonada directed a science fiction film essentially about the inner life of an artificial being, among other things. Following the breakdown of […]
The 2025 Dialogues Documentary Film Festival wrapped up for me on its third day, notably Autumnal, on Saturday. A good sized crowd came along for the journey to see SINGING BACK THE BUFFALO. SINGING BACK THE BUFFALO is mostly about indigenous tribes efforts to reestablish buffalo herds into something approaching their historical free-range status after […]
The 2025 Dialogues Documentary Film Festival had its second day Friday with some fall rain coming in following the last showing of the night. A noticably larger crowd showed up for SPACE COWBOY as well. SPACE COWBOY is essentially the story of Joe Jennings who has a unique career of being perhaps the greatest skydiving […]
Dialogues Documentary Film Festival kicked off from Milwaukee film the calendar said it was still summer but there are several different seasons for film critics; The spring festival season, the summer movie season, the fall festival season, and awards season. Not too long ago, the fall festival season used to be the stomping ground of […]
Nat, Cody, and Robert take a trip to the sun and perhaps touch the face of God with Danny Boyle’s SUNSHINE. Following up on the success of 28 DAYS LATER, with the low budget MILLIONS in between, Alex Garland and Danny Boyle reteamed for a much more ambitious science fiction film in SUNSHINE. This one […]
Robert, Nat, and Cody take time off from our summer to bring you a special bonus episode. 50 years ago, JAWS swam into theaters and changed Hollywood. With that in mind, what better time to look at the ups and downs of the film and franchise that stated the summer movie season. Just to make […]
Nat, Cody, and Robert take a deep dive into James Cameron’s THE ABYSS. Riding high off the success of THE TERMINATOR and ALIENS, James Cameron took two of his main interests, undersea exploration and science fiction, and combined them in THE ABYSS. By all accounts a grueling shoot, THE ABYSS emerged in the Summer of […]
Robert, Nat, and Cody accept an offer we can’t refuse in 1951’s THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL. THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL debuted near the dawn of the Cold War and 50s science fiction films. And while not setting the box office on fire, but still making money, it became a favorite of […]
Cody, Robert, and Nat go mainstream this month with 1979’s MOONRAKER, the first – and so far only – James Bond film we’ve covered on the podcast. MOONRAKER came out on the heels of Star Wars, and the last third of the movie definitely throws its jaws into the sci-fi ring, but it doesn’t stop there: MOONRAKER borrows […]
Milwaukee Film chose JANE AUSTEN WRECKED MY LIFE to close out this year’s film festival. And it’s easy to see why they chose a relative crowd pleaser like this. But, does its amiability substitute for some story deficiencies? In JANE AUSTEN WRECKED MY LIFE, Agathe (Camille Rutherford) works at the famed Shakespeare and Company bookstore […]
THE DELLS is a documentary by Nellie Kluz observing the lives and travails of numerous foreign born temporary workers filling service jobs during tourist season at the Wisconsin Dells. They work long hours, are woefully underpaid, aren’t supported very well in respect to having a place off work, and to a person seem really happy […]
When you have science fiction movies podcast, it’s hard to resist their siren call at a film festival. Especially when you know that the film is more likely to focus on ideas instead of spectacle. Which is the long way of saying, I was intrigued by CAN I GET A WITNESS? playing at the 2025 […]
Sometimes you don’t have to reach too deep to figure out the pleasures of a film. WOOLLY is one such film which combines beautiful landscapes, meaningful but not easy work, personal relationships, and cute animals to create a portrait of a way of life. A way of life that may be on its way out. […]
Sometimes plans change and that can lead to pleasant surprises and discoveries. That was the occasion Saturday night when I decided that an 11:30 PM start of THE SHROUDS wasn’t really feasible, so I pivoted to an 8:30 start of THE HOME instead. With most horror films, it’s a question on what primal fears that […]
40 ACRES was a fallback option when I couldn’t make it to THE LIBRARIANS. Which is no shade on the film, I had other options, it has an interesting premise “post-apocalyptic siege thriller”, and it has a start, Danielle Deadwyler, I was eager to see. Alas it proved to be a mixed bag, but at […]
“It’s better to burn out than to fade away” – Neil Young “Glory days Well, they’ll pass you by, glory days In the wink of a young girl’s eye, glory days Glory days” – Bruce Springsteen Sometimes the local film festival brings you stories that you would think you would know about. This year’s example […]
Last year at the Milwaukee Film Festival there were walkouts at the Secret Members Only Screening. I think there was a lot of overreaction to a somewhat difficult movie, but I also didn’t think for a second that Milwaukee Film wouldn’t turn in a more crowd-pleasing direction. And they did exactly that by choosing the […]
SECRET MALL APARTMENT taps into a lot of today’s hot button issues like gentrification, privatization of once public spaces, corporate control, white privilege, public art, and just sticking it to the man. It’s also a larger than life tale that is very funny in turns. Back in the early 2000s, a group of artists found […]
Robert, Nat, and Cody grapple with Terence Fisher’s 3rd outing with the Hammer Frankenstein series with 1967’s FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN. Following THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN, Hammer decided that they couldn’t keep a not so good Baron down and did something of a soft reboot as they continued the story of Baron Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) with […]
Robert, Nat, and Cody are joined by returning guest Jim Laczkowski of Directors Club and Angela Fabbrini as we throw our tenth annual Secret Santa party. Who gave what to whom is the mystery of the episode as we take turns discussing five movies especially chosen for their recipients by their secret Santas in our […]
Cody, Robert, and Nat team up again as good cop, bad cop, and good cop to find out if you can keep a good cop down in 1988’s DEAD HEAT. The 1980s were clearly the era of the buddy cop action film. DEAD HEAT tried to do it at least one better by making a […]
Nat, Cody, and Robert are joined by Angela Fabbrini to take a look at three movies that didn’t really set up sequels, but they made them anyways, with PSYCHO II, HOWLING II: YOUR SISTER IS A WEREWOLF, and POLTERGEIST II: THE OTHER SIDE. Second time’s the charm? First up is 1983’s PSYCHO II. PSYCHO was […]
Nat, Cody, and Robert get animated as they discuss 1982’s THE SECRET OF NIMH. Don Bluth challenged Disney animation in the 1980s. And arguably won that decade, before THE LITTLE MERMAID changed Disney’s animated fortunes and set up a decade of triumphs in the 1990s. But, Don Bluth’s success started with THE SECRET OF NIMH. […]
One of the big primetime screenings of the 2024 Dialogues Documentary Film Festival was WE CAN BE HEROES. And it was very easy to see why, as it was a big crowd pleaser. It’s clearly in the lineage of documentaries that were inspired by SPELLBOUND, teens and children involved in a niche activity that brings […]
THE STRIKE was one of the more polished documentaries of the 2024 Dialogues Documentary Festival and one of the most effective. A little over a decade ago, the California prison system would just lock you up in solitary if they thought you were part of a gang in any way and essentially throw away the […]
Day two of the 2024 Dialogues Documentary Film Festival brought me to WAR GAME which came the closest to playing like a straight fictional narrative, albeit with a largely improvised script. WAR GAME is a ripped from the headlines film. After January 6, it was advised by a bipartisan panel that a repeat of those […]
Milwaukee Film is staging a 4-day film festival focusing on Documentary films and conversations afterwards with the Dialogues Documentary Festival. It’s probably no coincidence that the film festival is occupying the former slot that was previously occupied by the long running Milwaukee Film Festival in early Fall. The major difference being that their goal is […]
Nat, Cody, and Robert take the call and discover the meet-cute apocalypse courtesy of MIRACLE MILE. MIRACLE MILE was an acclaimed screenplay that spent the better part of the 80s not getting made. But, screenwriter/director Steve De Jarnatt stuck with it and it eventually got made. Perhaps it was for the better as the delays […]
Cody, Robert, and Nat mark ten years of podcasting with Sylvester Stallone as one of the last real men around in Demolition Man, a rundown of this year’s Fantasia film festival, and a lookback at some of the highs of the last ten years of podcasting. The 90s were a time of transition for the […]
Robert, Nat, and Cody take time off from our summer to bring you a special bonus episode focusing on four films reflecting Hollywood’s journey from BATMAN to THE MATRIX and current comic book movies via several independent comic books. It’s a podcast full of martial arts, tragic origins, night time settings, and tortured leads. Our […]
“This has been a novel about some people who were punished entirely too much for what they did.” – Phillip K. Dick Nat, Cody, and Robert take a trip, into a world of drugs, questions about identity, addiction, love, and surveillance via Richard Linklater and Phillip K. Dick in A SCANNER DARKLY. A lot of […]
Robert, Nat, and Cody journey to the moons of Jupiter to follow up on the mysteries of 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY and discover cooperation amidst the Cold War. Legacy sequels are very common these days. 2010: THE YEAR WE MAKE CONTACT may not be the first legacy sequel, heck PSYCHO II was released the year […]
Cody, Robert, and Nat discuss progress, peace, security, and war with 1936’s THINGS TO COME. THINGS TO COME was conceived of as an adaptation of H.G. Wells’s The Shape of Things to Come and as a reaction to METROPOLIS. H.G. Wells adapted his own book to the screen, albeit the final form is apparently quite […]
Nat, Cody, and Robert take a look back at the film that basically ended Andy Kaufman’s film career before it could launch with 1981’s HEARTBEEPS. And for some reason, the film apparently affected the first 25 minutes of recording, so apologies folks for the subpar audio. HEARTBEEPS was ostensibly Universal’s way of testing the waters […]
The last day of the Milwaukee Film Festival is always kind of bittersweet. It’s been a long festival and tiredness is starting to creep in among the fest goers and staff. But, it’s been full of warm audiences, fine films, and real community spirit and it’s sad to see that end. But there’s thanks to […]
I don’t particularly like cradle to the grave films. They inevitably end up as a highlight reel and never dig too deeply into the interesting stuff as they have to keep moving on. While Joan Baez isn’t in the grave yet, JOAN BAEZ: I AM A NOISE uses the end of her performing career as […]
Heading into the Milwaukee Film Festival I had a few movies circled as must see with DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD atop that list. As the 2024 Milwaukee Film Festival winds down, that choice looks especially good as DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD […]
One of my mottos of film festival going is to “see the South Korean movies.” Especially the genre fare. South Korea has been making some of the most exciting genre movies this century. Which made the late night screening of SLEEP almost a no brainer. SLEEP begins like many horror films, seemingly innocuously. A happily […]
It was a surprisingly packed house Friday night for the Cinema Hooligante / Teen Screen programmed HUMANIST VAMPIRE SEEKING CONSENTING SUICIDAL PERSON screening at the Times Cinema. And it appeared to send everyone home for the night in a good mood. Sasha (Sara Montpetit), who appears to be a teenager physically and perhaps emotionally, is […]
Every year the Milwaukee Film Festival presents a Super Secret Members-Only Screening featuring a surprise film. Generally, it’s an upcoming independent narrative film or documentary that has some buzz or anticipation surrounding it. This year, the choice was RYUICHI SAKAMOTO: OPUS which is essentially a concert film resulting in some walkouts and a minor kerfuffle […]
There’s perhaps no better director in the world at understanding of children and families than Hirokazu Kore-eda. Over the last decade plus he’s explored those concepts in films like I WISH, LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON, AFTER THE STORM, and SHOPLIFTERS. And that brings us to the latest, MONSTER, which brings some new wrinkles to the […]
Women’s sports are having a moment right now with the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament outperforming the Men’s tournament in many ways. Which makes THE HERRICANES remarkably topical, looking back at some of the earliest days of women’s sports in a sport that’s still very much considered a man’s game. It’s been a remarkable journey in […]
“Someone like Jean-Luc Godard is for me intellectual counterfeit money when compared to a good kung fu film.” ― Werner Herzog We’ll leave Jean-Luc Godard out of it, but there’s definitely something to Werner Herzog’s quote above. There’s something pure about a kung fu movie, athletic men (and sometimes women) in motion, exotic weapons, and […]
Back in 2021, THE DRY emerged as a big hit in Australia and managed some play in the United States as something of a festival darling. It played within the framework of what dark secrets a small town may hold amid a long drought that left the surroundings a tinderbox ready to turn into a […]
After the pandemic and its drawn out aftermath, the Milwaukee Film Festival soldiered on and has returned to its non-virtual roots with an impressive lineup of films. I don’t know if we’ll ever return to pre-Covid normalcy, but this seems to be a sense of a new normal. Last night was the gala opening on […]
Cody, Robert, and Nat try to decide if they have enough of THE STUFF or not in this latest episode. Larry Cohen had a long career. Generally regarded as a purveyor of schlock, Cohen’s films still have a cult following and an undercurrent of social commentary. THE STUFF, more than most, particularly traffics in the … Still Watching the Skies: Episode 108 “The Stuff” Read More »
Nat, Cody, and Robert dive in and discuss 1999’s DEEP BLUE SEA. As it comes up in the podcast, I think it’s fair to say that JURASSIC PARK gave the creature feature new life. DEEP BLUE SEA clearly owes a lot to that film as we have genetically modified animals on the loose in an … Still Watching the Skies: Episode 107 “Deep Blue Sea” Read More »
Cody, Robert, and Nat take time off from our beach reading to bring you a special bonus episode focusing on four films reflecting Hollywood’s attempt at fantasy films in the wake of STAR WARS. It’s a podcast full of scantily clad women, swords, violence, revenge!, magic, superstition, and might makes right. Our first destination, is … Still Watching the Skies: 2023 Summer Bonus “80s Fantasy” Read More »
Neo-Tokyo is about to explode and Robert, Nat, and Cody are here to witness it as they discuss 1988’s AKIRA. We’ve watched a bunch of movies for the podcast so far, but it’s fair to say that very few have been as influential as AKIRA. Its the foundation of much of what would become associated … Still Watching the Skies: Episode 106 “Akira” Read More »
Cody, Robert, and Nat dive into early 1990s exploitation cinema with Albert Pyun’s NEMESIS. It’s fairly safe to say that everyone was a little confused about who is who, what do they want, and why do they want it in NEMESIS. But, you’ve probably seen BLADE RUNNER, ROBOCOP, and THE TERMINATOR and can probably figure … Still Watching the Skies: Episode 105 “Nemesis (1992)” Read More »
It comes a time in every film festival where you reach the point where a film just doesn’t work for you. For me, it was THE ‘VOUS despite I presume genuine effort by all involved. Here’s what Milwaukee Film had to say about the film. “In its seventh decade of business, the famed Memphis alleyway … 2023 Milwaukee Film Festival: Day Thirteen “THE ‘VOUS” Read More »
Some documentaries don’t need an angle, the material is so compelling that getting out of the way of the subject is enough. ENNIO, a film about composer Ennio Morricone, most famous for his film scores, is proof that just presenting a story in a straightforward way is sometimes the best approach. Here’s how Milwaukee Film … 2023 Milwaukee Film Festival: Day Eleven “Ennio” Read More »
What do you get when you combine a Looney Tunes sensibility, an endless capacity for gags, visual inventiveness on a shoestring budget, a love for silent film, and no concern that a joke may be too juvenile? Something like HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS from the folks who brought LAKE MICHIGAN MONSTER which played like gangbusters to … 2023 Milwaukee Film Festival: Day Nine “Hundreds of Beavers” Read More »
Nat, Cody, and Robert delve into one of Italy’s early entries into the science fiction genre with CALTIKI, THE IMMORTAL MONSTER. CALTIKI, THE IMMORTAL MONSTER is a precursor to Mario Bava’s directorial career as he was an uncredited co-director of this and head of cinematography and special effects. As kind of a ripoff of THE … Still Watching the Skies: Episode 104 “Caltiki, the Immortal Monster” Read More »
The Members only screening at the Milwaukee Film Festival is always one of the highlights of the festival. Frequently, the best film that will play at the festival will find its way to the secret screening. This year’s screening was the anticipated BLACKBERRY by director Matt Johnson (THE DIRTIES). BLACKBERRY, in the tradition of something … 2023 Milwaukee Film Festival: Day Seven “BLACKBERRY” Read More »
BAND is one of those films where it’s hard to tell what is literally true in its documentary-like presentation. I suspect very little. Conversely, it’s easy to tell what’s emotionally true, practically all of the film. Milwaukee Film describes BAND as follows: “Icelandic performance art meets THIS IS SPINAL TAP in this wickedly fun look … 2023 Milwaukee Film Festival: Day Five “Band” Read More »
What a joy it is to see a Sunday afternoon documentary practically sold out at the Times. It’s like a return to pre-pandemic times. Milwaukee Film describes LAKOTA NATION VS. UNITED STATES as follows: “A chronicle about the Očéti Šakówi and their decades-long fight to reclaim control of the Black Hills, LAKOTA NATION VS. UNITED … 2023 Milwaukee Film Festival: Day Four “Lakota Nation vs. United States” Read More »
Unfortuanately, not every acclaimed film gets to Milwaukee for full fledged theatrical releases. NO BEARS never did get a showing in Milwaukee’s theaters. Fortunately, the Milwaukee Film Festival is there to pick up some slack. Here’s Milwaukee Film’s description of the film. “Acclaimed director Jafar Panahi (playing a fictionalized version of himself) relocates to a … 2023 Milwaukee Film Festival: Day Three “No Bears” Read More »
The Milwaukee Film Festival always kicks into high gear on the second day. Each venue has a full day and night of films and the selections branch out and become less tied to trying to please everyone. That brings us to the Cinema Hooligante program and UNICORN WARS. Here’s Milwaukee Film’s description of the film. … 2023 Milwaukee Film Festival: Day Two “Unicorn Wars” Read More »
It’s been a long road back for the Milwaukee Film Festival after being forced to go virtual in 2020 and 2021. 2022 was a return to live screenings while still climbing out of the Covid pandemic, with a robust virtual option. The program for 2023 is clearly aiming for a robust in person festival with … 2023 Milwaukee Film Festival: Day One “Mom & Dad’s Nipple Factory” Read More »
Robert, Nat, and Cody journey back to the very first superhero feature film, SUPERMAN AND THE MOLE MEN. We also have a lot of fun in our outro segment discussing the Video Archives podcast, and directors’ Wikipedia pictures. For better or worse, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster’s Superman essentially created the superhero genre and defined … Still Watching the Skies: Episode #103 “Superman and the Mole Men” Read More »
How has it taken 102 episodes for Cody, Robert, and Nat to get around to David Cronenberg? Regardless, there’s no time like the present to ponder eXistenZ. David Cronenberg may have drifted away from science fiction and horror to an extent over the years, but is place in the genre is more than … Still Watching the Skies: Episode #102 “eXistenZ” Read More »
Nat, Cody, and Robert return to the world of Afrofuturism with NEPTUNE FROST from Saul Williams and Anisia Uzeyman. If that’s not enough, a long discussion on 2022 in film follows. Afrofuturism has always been linked to music. So, it’s fitting that NEPTUNE FROST is a flat out science fiction musical about neocolonialsim … Still Watching the Skies: Episode 101 “Neptune Frost” Read More »
Robert, Nat, and Cody celebrate episode 100 with a look at two high profile adaptations of H.G. Wells’s 1898 novel THE WAR OF THE WORLDS. First up is the Byron Haskell directed 1953 version THE WAR OF THE WORLDS and we complete the set with Steven Spielberg’s WAR OF THE WORLDS from 2005. 1953’s … Still Watching the Skies: Episode 100 “The War of the Worlds x 2” Read More »
Robert, Nat, and Cody are joined by returning guests Angela Fabbrini of Where the Long Tail Ends and Jim Laczkowski of Voices & Visions as we throw our seventh annual Secret Santa party. Who gave what to whom is the mystery of the episode as we take turns discussing five movies especially chosen for their … Still Watching the Skies: 2022 Christmas Bonus Episode “Secret Santa VIII” Read More »
Cody, Robert, and Nat go on a serial killer hunt in the dystopian future of 2008 London and discover a cop out of control and a satanic alien serial killer in 1992’s SPLIT SECOND. Rutger Hauer may not have been an A-list star, but after SOLDIER OF ORANGE, BLADE RUNNER, LADYHAWKE, and THE HITCHER, he … Still Watching the Skies: Episode 99 “Split Second” Read More »
Nat, Cody, and Robert go on a trip to Chicago’s Field Museum with 1997’s THE RELIC. Peter Hyams was a steady director with a bunch of films that land in the “underrated” category. THE RELIC may not be underrated, but it certainly has its moments of fun. Based on the best seller Douglas Preston and … Still Watching the Skies: Episode 98 “The Relic” Read More »
Nat, Cody, and Robert are joined by Angela Fabbrini to look at various takes on vampires that fall outside the European tradition including BLACULA, MYSTICS IN BALI, and MR. VAMPIRE. First up is 1972’s BLACULA. BLACULA brings a blaxploitation spin to the vampire myth with African prince Mamuwalde (William Marshall) being turned into a vampire … Still Watching the Skies: Halloween Bonus “Vampire Lives Matter” Read More »
Greetings starfighter! Join Robert, Nat, and Cody, with special guest Jim Laczkowski as we defend the frontier against Xur and the Kodan Armada by watching THE LAST STARFIGHTER and reminiscing about 1984. THE LAST STARFIGHTER opened July 13, 1984, in a summer packed with hits and wasn’t able to compete. But, it developed a cult … Still Watching the Skies: Episode 97 “The Last Starfighter” Read More »
Cody, Robert, and Nat take time off from our beach reading to bring you a special bonus episode focusing on three films reflecting the European take on pulp fiction including DR. MABUSE, THE GAMBLER, JUDEX, and DANGER: DIABOLIK. It’s a podcast full of women in catsuits, master criminals at least two steps ahead of the … Still Watching the Skies: 2022 Summer Bonus Episode “European Pulp Fiction Spectacular” Read More »
Cody, Robert, and Nat quest for meaning and reasons in viewing 1983’s KRULL. KRULL opened July 29, 1983, just over 2 months after RETURN OF THE JEDI, and clearly had some hopes of being the next STAR WARS. Those hopes were dashed as KRULL earned only $16.9 million at the box office compared to an … Still Watching the Skies: Episode 96 “Krull” Read More »
Nat, Cody, and Robert are reporting to HR to talk about 1994’s DISCLOSURE, based on a Michael Crichton novel, and what makes a science fiction film. Erotic thrillers and Michael Crichton blockbusters were both big in the 1990s. DISCLOSURE is where the two intersect on a Venn diagram. And, as expected, it was dynamite at … Still Watching the Skies: Episode 95 “Disclosure” Read More »
Nat, Cody, and Robert are joined by Andy DiGenova to talk about 1995’s WATERWORLD and what goes into making the WATERWORLD attraction for Universal Studio’s park in Beijing. 1995 was abuzz with WATERWORLD, particularly with how much the film cost. Perhaps that unfairly influenced the critical and public perception for a film that would be … Still Watching the Skies: Episode 94 “Waterworld” Read More »
Cody, Robert, and Nat journey back to 1989 and a year of underwater adventure with LEVIATHAN. 1989 brought four underwater adventures to the big screen with DEEP STAR SIX, LORDS OF THE DEEP, and THE ABYSS joining LEVIATHAN. Obviously, THE ABYSS is the biggest name of the bunch, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t … Still Watching the Skies: Episode 93 “Leviathan” Read More »
We reached the end of the 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival with a full house and the much anticipated PETITE MAMAN. It’s been heartening to see the return of the in person film festival, and enthusiastic crowds. And those who made it out for the final day were treated to one of the very best films … 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival: Day 15 “Petite Maman” Read More »
As the Milwaukee Film Festival winds down, the documentary WE FEED PEOPLE about World Central Kitchen and chef José Andrés, seemed like a good bet with Ron Howard at the helm. And, for the most part, it is. The work of World Central Kitchen, providing good meals to people affected by disasters, is hard to … 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival: Day 14 “We Feed People” Read More »
Day 12 of the 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival brought me to the Cine Sin Fronteras program and the Venezuelan film ME AND THE BEASTS. ME AND THE BEASTS focuses on Andrés, a young, frustrated musician who quits his band, takes an unpaid leave from his job, and sets out to produce an album by himself. … 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival: Day 13 “Me and the Beasts” Read More »
With the last days of the 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival coming up, it was time to virtually catch up on some of the bigger profile films still left. THE CONSERVATION GAME, which seems to have been filmed before TIGER KING as it intersects with some of the events, fit the bill and certainly had an … 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival: Day 12 “The Conservation Game” Read More »
CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH won the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award at Sundance and came to the 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival with a lot of hype. A packed crowd at the Oriental Theatre attested to the across the board interest. Really the only question was “Does CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH live up to the hype or … 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival: Day 11 “Cha Cha Real Smooth” Read More »
If I learned one thing from prior film festivals it’s “check out the South Korean films.” With that in mind, ALONERS was an easy sell for a virtual viewing. ALONERS, according to the program notes, is based on the South Korean phenomenom of “holojok,” a phrase that describes the growing number of people who prefer … 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival: Day 10 “Aloners” Read More »
The second Friday of the 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival was spent catching up virtually with one of the titles that eluded me during its initial screening, 892. 892 came out of Sundance with a lot of buzz, particularly around its cast, and it seemed a good bet. 892 is based on the true story of … 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival: Day Nine “892” Read More »
The second week of the 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival started with a bang as Christopher Pollard and Justin Barney of the Cinebuds podcast brought a special 35 mm presentation of John Carpenter’s THE THING to a packed house at the Oriental Theatre and then hosted a live podcast with a Q&A after. I can’t imagine … 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival: Day Eight “Cinebuds Live: The Thing” Read More »
The Secret Members Only screening is always a highlight of any Milwaukee Film Festival. The 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival brought the family film MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON to the Oriental Theatre for a packed crowd and clearly won the audience over this year. MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON is based off a … 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival: Day Seven “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On” Read More »
Day six of the 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival was another day for documentaries, with the nostalgic and lively THE AUTOMAT on the virtual docket. Horn and Hardart’s restaurants were a fixture of New York and Philadelphia for much of the 20th century. Based on a central commissary model, one could get good food at good … 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival: Day Six “The Automat” Read More »
Day Five was a virtual day at the film festival. It was also take your cat to the film festival day as I shared the couch with a cat and watched the documentary CAT DADDIES. The appeal of CAT DADDIES is easy to understand. It’s a breezy 90 minutes focused on men and their cats. … 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival: Day Five “Cat Daddies” Read More »
Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s MEMORIA was a hot ticket at the 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival with a packed Oriental Theatre. And MEMORIA is a one of a kind film that cast its spell on me and also left me puzzling over some of its meanings. It’s no surprise that Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s film unfolds almost like a dream … 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival: Day Four “Memoria” Read More »
Day three of the 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival was spent watching THE VELVET QUEEN, a spectacular nature documentary. It’s a film that’s easy to recommend, its strengths being plenty and evident in every frame. THE VELVET QUEEN documents a trip to the Tibetan highlands as nature photographer Vincent Munier is assisted by writer Sylvain Tesson … 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival – Day Three “The Velvet Queen” Read More »
It didn’t take long to spot one of the big swings of the 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival, NEPTUNE FROST. NEPTUNE FROST was described as an “Afro-futurist, sci-fi musical” from Rwanda. If that doesn’t get the adventurist filmgoer’s blood pumping, nothing will. And, for the most part, NEPTUNE FROST lives up to its promises. Set in … 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival: Day Two “Neptune Frost” Read More »
Spring felt like it had finally arrived in Milwaukee yesterday. And, after 903 days, the Milwaukee Film Festival returned in person for its 14th annual run. People showed up for a sold out Oriental Theatre for an opening night screening of THE PEZ OUTLAW. THE PEZ OUTLAW is a documentary based on the real life … 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival: Day One “The Pez Outlaw” Read More »
Nat, Cody, and Robert are on the hunt to delve into the meanings of Jonathan Glazer’s UNDER THE SKIN. Jonathan Glazer’s adaptation of Michel Faber’s novel UNDER THE SKIN was an instant sensation among critics in 2013. Less so among the general audience, where the arthouse circuit wasn’t able to supper the $13 million production, … Still Watching the Skies: Episode 92 “Under the Skin” Read More »
It’s been a long few years since the Milwaukee Film Festival was held in person. The 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival returns from April 21 to May 5 in hybrid fashion with virtual and in person events, albeit in slightly slimmed down form with only three venues, the Oriental Theatre, the Avalon theater, and the Times … 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival – Preview Read More »
Robert, Nat, and Cody are joined by Bill Ackerman to delve into the ideas and mysteries of Andrei Takovsky’s SOLARIS from 1972. Andrei Tarkovsky’s adaptation of Stanislaw Lem’s novel SOLARIS certainly has the reputation of being one of the more cerebral science fiction movies ever made. Right from the start, Tarkovsky makes the story his … Still Watching the Skies: Episode 91 “Solaris (1972)” Read More »
Cody, Robert, and Nat take on youth culture in 1976’s LOGAN’S RUN. LOGAN’S RUN is based on the novel of the same name written by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson. After the fallout of the 1960s and in the midst of the “Me Generation” LOGAN’S RUN was a big hit in 1976 and … Still Watching the Skies: Episode 90 “Logan’s Run” Read More »
Nat, Cody, and Robert take a trip to the Maine woods for an eco-horror monster movie about corporate pollution and conflicts with Native Americans in PROPHECY (1979). John Frankenheimer is regarded as one of the finest directors of the 1960s with a string of acclaimed films including THE BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ, THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE, … Still Watching the Skies: Episode 89 “Prophecy” Read More »
Robert, Nat, and Cody are joined by returning guests Angela Fabbrini and Jim Laczkowski of Voices & Visions as we throw our seventh annual Secret Santa party. Who gave what to whom is the mystery of the episode as we take turns discussing five movies especially chosen for their recipients by their secret Santas. This … Still Watching the Skies: Secret Santa VII Read More »
“God’s silver tapestry spread across the night. And in that moment I knew the answer to the riddle of the infinite. I had thought in terms of Man’s own limited dimension. I had presumed upon Nature. That existence begins and ends is Man’s conception, not Nature’s. And I felt my body dwindling, melting, becoming nothing. … Still Watching the Skies: Episode 88 “The Incredible Shrinking Man” Read More »
Cody, Robert, and Nat are witnesses to Julie Christie being assaulted by a house in 1977’s DEMON SEED. Based on a Dean Koontz novel, DEMON SEED finds Susan Harris (Julie Christie) terrorized in her automated house by the sentient artificial intelligence Proteus IV (voiced by Robert Vaughn) which has been invented by her husband (Fritz … Still Watching the Skies: Episode 87 “Demon Seed” Read More »
Robert, Nat, and Cody join for a triple feature of Vincent Price including THE INVISIBLE MAN RETURNS, THE TINGLER, and THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH. Will they conclude that the Price is right or is there something more nefarious brewing? Vincent Price (1911 – 1993) was an heir to one of the oldest families … Still Watching the Skies: 2021 Halloween Bonus “Vincent Price” Read More »
Nat, Cody, and Robert are joined by Kyle Fahrner to see Val Kilmer’s star on the ascent in Martha Coolidge’s REAL GENIUS from 1985. Fifteen year old Mitch (Gabriel Jarrett) is recruited by a-hole professor Jerry Hathaway (William Atherton) to a California tech college with designs on developing a workable laser for nefarious purposes. Fortunately … Still Watching the Skies: Episode 86 “Real Genius” Read More »
Robert, Nat, and Cody are joined by Jim Laczkowski for a double dose of childhood nightmare fuel with 1953’s INVADERS FROM MARS and 1986’s INVADERS FROM MARS. A young boy witnesses a flying saucer land late at night. He wakes up to an alien invasion in which adult authority figures are being taken over one … Still Watching the Skies: Episode 85 “Invaders from Mars” Read More »
Cody, Robert, and Nat go on a shorter space odyssey with Brian DePalma’s MISSION TO MARS. When an expedition to Mars encounters something ancient, a disaster ensues and a rescue mission is mounted. It’s an old school, high concept, star driven vehicle from right before Hollywood took a turn toward IP driven franchises. You … Still Watching the Skies: Episode 84 “Mission to Mars” Read More »
Nat, Cody, and Robert take time off from our beach reading to bring you a special bonus episode focusing on three films directed by Michael Crichton from the 1970s; Pursuit, Coma, and The Great Train Robbery. Crichton wrote the source material for two of the films and adapted the screenplay for another, so they clearly … Still Watching the Skies: 2021 Summer Bonus “Michael Crichton” Read More »
Nat, Cody, and Robert confront evolutionary superiority in Saul Bass’s PHASE IV. After a strange astronomical event, several species of ants have apparently evolved in the Arizona desert and begin plotting together. Strange structures are built by the ants. Etymologist Ernest Hubbs (Nigel Davenport) and number theorist James Lesko (Michael Murphy), along with a local … Still Watching the Skies: Episode 83 “Phase IV” Read More »